Shipping and display pail



April 3, 1934. P STRANGE 1,953,311

SHIPPING AND DISPLAY PAIL Filed March 51 1932 Patented Apr. 3, 1934 UNITED STATS PATENT Fries 9 Claims.

The present invention relates to pails used in connection with the shipping of merchandise, such as candies, and has for its object the provision of a pail which may be shipped without additional packaging and conveniently used by the retail merchant for display purposes.

It is desirable to display merchandise of certain types in the pail in which it is received by the retailer. However, if the pail simply remains uncovered the merchandise is subject to contamination by dust, dirt particles, sampling, etc.

In some instances it is the practice of the manufacturer to furnish a removable transparent cover on the pail. In order to use such coverings, however, it is necessary that the pail itself be packaged to protect the transparent covering. While this manner of providing for display takes care of sanitary requirements, it is expensive, both in the cost of packaging and in the-.cost of shipping, for the pail is packed either in a carton or a box, which is an item of added expense and the extra package requires additional labor, uses up space and adds weight.

The present invention provides a pail which may be shipped without additional wrapping or packing and, which provides for a sanitary display of the merchandise shipped therein, through a transparent display window incorporated in the regular cover of the pail.

A preferred embodiment of the inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described in the following specification. It is to be understood that this disclosure is for purposes of illustration only and the fact that it is directed specifically to a preferred embodiment of the invention is not to be construed as suggestive of limitation in the scope of the invention, or of the protection sought through, and defined in, the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective showing the pail in condition for shipment;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing the pail set up for display purposes.

Wherever it appears on the drawing, the reference numeral 11 indicates the body portion of a pail which is of the usual form and may be constructed of any of the materials customarily used in the formation of pails for the shipment of merchandise.

Mounted on the upper peripheral edge of the pail is a reinforcing supporting member 12. En-

' compassing the reinforcing member 12 and fixedly secured thereto is a wire anchoring member 13. The anchoring member 13 is provided with a plurality of loops, indicated by the reference numeral 14, which are adapted to receive tie wires 15. Two diametrically opposed additional loops 16 are 0 formed in the anchoring member 13 to receive the hooked ends of the bale 17.

The top 18 has a downwardly extending peripheral flange 19 which fits over the upper edge of the body portion of the pail. The top has its central 5' portion cut away to form a display opening 18*, of any desired shape, but shown as circular in the drawing. Attached to the inner marginal edge of the top 18, on the bottom surface thereof, and thus extending across the opening, is a transparent member, or window, 20, which may be, and preferably is, moisture-proof, transparent cellulose sheeting, popularly known as cellophane. Mois-v ture-proof cellophane, or some other flexible transparent medium, such as celluloid, is desirable, since it withstands distortion occurring in storage and shipping, due to temperature changes and other causes, and it accommodates irregularities in the structure.

To close the top. of the pail and protectithe transparent member 20 so that the pail may be shipped without additional packing, a protecting cover, or closing member, 21, is provided, this being of a shape to fit the opening in the top 18. For the pail here described the cover is in the form of a disk to interfit with the circular opening in the top 18. The cut out portion of the top, resulting from the formation of the opening 18 may be conveniently and economically used as the closing cover. 1

Attached to the top of the cover 21 are cross members 22 which, when the cover is seated, extend across the top of the pail and rest upon the top 18. Fastening of the cross members to the closing member 21 may be accomplished by the means of brads, or staples, 23, as shown in Fig. 2. The cross members 22 thus support the closing member 21. Tie wires 15 extend along the members 22 and are bent downward to permit their ends to enter, and be hooked into, the loops 14 thus locking the top 18 and the cover 21 in position for shipping.

The cover not only closes the pail to-protect the contents but it also covers and protects the transparent member 20.

Upon reaching its destination the merchant uncovers the pail simply by opening the hooks 24, removing the tie wires 15 and removing the closing member 21 by lifting the cross members 22. The merchandise is then revealed through the transparent member 20 and without further preparation it is ready for display and sale.

To dispense merchandise from the pail it is merely necessary to lift the top member 18 and as this is not fastened it is a simple matter to do so. The flange 19 assists in positioning and holding the top when it is replaced.

It will be observed that the pail I have described has all of the packing, shipping and handling advantages of the pail of my former patent, No. 1,433,918, and in addition it provides a simple but effective, economical, serviceable and sanitary means of displaying the contents that are shipped in the pail.

I claim:

1. A shipping and displaying device including a body portion, a top for said body portion having a display opening therein, a transparent member associated with said top, a protecting member for said transparent member fitting within said display opening, and supporting means attached to said protecting member and overlying said top.

2. A shipping and displaying device including a body portion, a top for said body portion having an opening therein, a flexible transparent membe'r affixed to the bottom of said top and extending across said opening, a protecting member interfitting' with the opening in said top, members on said protecting member adapted to engage the top, and means for fastening said top and said protecting member to the body of said device.

3. A shipping and displaying device including a body portion, a'removable top therefor having a display opening therein, a flexible transparent member closing said opening, a removable cover adapted to fit into said opening, cross members passing over the cover and the top, and tie wires for securing said cross members to the body of the pail.

4. A shipping and displaying pail including a body portion, an anchoring member on the upper outer edge of said body portion, said anchor ing member having a plurality of loops therein, a top having a downwardly extending peripheral flange and a display opening,'a flexible sheet of transparent cellulose material afiixed to the bottom of said top and extending across said opening, a, protecting member fitting into said opening, cross members secured to the top of said protecting member and projecting over said top, and tie wires overlying the cross members, the top and the peripheral flange, and adapted to engage the loops of said anchoring member.

In a pail the combination of a body portion, an anchoring member passing around the upper edge of said body portion, a top interfitting with said body portion and having a display opening therein, a cover corresponding to the portion of said top that is cut away to form said display opening therein, a flexible transparent member closing said display opening, cross members afflxed to said cover, and tie wires passing over said cross members and engaging said anchoring member.

6. In a pail the combination of a body portion, an anchoring member passing around the upper edge of said body portion, a top interfitting with said body portion, a cover cut from said top to form a display opening therein, a sheet of waterproof transparent cellulose sheeting extending across said opening, cross members affixed to said out out cover member, and tie wires passing over said cross members and engaging said anchoring member.

7. In a container of the type described, a disklike fibrous cover member having a centrally disposed display opening therein, a transparent flexible film covering said opening on the under side of said cover member, a disk-like fibrous protective member adapted to flt into the opening in said cover and to protect said transparent film, and fastening means attached to said protective member and supporting the same free from said transparent film when in position in said display opening, said. fastening means being adapted to secure said cover member in place.

8. A shipping and displaying device including a body portion and a cover for said body portion having a display opening therein, a transparent member ailixed to the cover and extending across said opening, a protecting closure member for closing the opening in the cover, and supporting means connected with the protecting closure member and extending across the member into supporting engagement with the cover adjacent the opening therein.

9. A top and display cover for shipping containers comprising a main body portion having a display opening therein and a peripheral depending flange for engagement with the body of a container, a flexible transparent member affixed to the main body portion and extending across the display opening, a protecting closure member for closing the opening in the main body portion, and supporting means connected with the protecting closure member extending thereacross and into overlapping and supporting engagement'with the main body portion on opposite sides of the opening therein.

" PAUL STRANGE. 

